free 3D software

I know it is illegal to download software for free with programs like LimeWire and kaZaA. But my friend said it was ok to download older programs and he downloaded Maya 3.5. I guess it makes since to download older software since it doesn't retail at stores anymore. I was thinking about downloading Lightwave 6.5. Do you think this will be ok or should I just purchase the academic version of Lightwave 7.

No, the publishers still retain their rights over previous versions of their software unless they explicitly relinquish them. Even if an old version of a program was released on a magazine's cover CD (for example), that still doesn't give you the right to copy the same version from somewhere else. Generally you are always obliged to pay for commercial software one way or another.

I do recommend you get an academic license for Lightwave. By paying for the software you can legitimately contact the publishers for help, and you'll be able to upgrade it to fix bugs (which is usually not the case with pirate software). You might also be able to upgrade to a full commercial license at a reduced cost when you become rich and famous!

To me pirating was the only way to start to learn to program. I really didn't have many other options other than scripting languages. And what kind of idiot pays hundreds for codewarrior or whatever when they don't even know if they'll be able to use it? Ie. If programming is really for them. The same goes for graphics and so forth.

Quote:Originally posted by death_himself And what kind of idiot pays hundreds for codewarrior or whatever when they don't even know if they'll be able to use it? Ie. If programming is really for them. The same goes for graphics and so forth.

Can't afford CodeWarrior? Try Project Builder or MPW. Or Metal Basic.

I understand what you're saying, though. I often have this kind of discussion with my students. In some cases certain individuals need to pirate software (usually 3D Studio) in order to begin learning it, but in many cases they could just as easily buy a student license or choose a cheaper program. I advise them that if they insist on using pirated software that they should (a) not pay for the pirate copy, and (b) should buy a legal license as soon as they possibly can after starting a real job. It doesn't make it any more legal but I hope that it encourages them to think about the moral issues involved.

Well, I had done metal basic, but I really needed to learn 'proper' programming, I mean, system calls and all of that, metal is proper, its just that its BASIC, BASIC isn't meant to include those sorts of things...if I'm making any sense. No way am I paying for pirated software. If I were going to make a commercial product, I would definaterly buy codewarrior (or a mac with OSX)...I don't have the money for a student license.

I hadn't convinced myself that pirating was okay . I'd pay for say, anything I liked by spiderwebsoftware, were thinking of buying geneforge in fact, but need underpants, but definately not anything from Ambrosia, I REALLY don't like Ambrosia.

Now, obviously I'm not saying its okay to steal from people/companies you don't like, but it sure makes it alot more satisfying .

As the vast majority of the members on this board are (aspiring) creators of software (be they programmers, artists, or composers), I would think that we would have little tolerance for pirates of any kind. How would you like it if you worked long and hard to create some piece of software and someone used a pirated version. If you had the opportunity to confront them and they said "I can't afford it, but I wanted it, so it's OK to steal it." Would you think it was OK?

Help, M.J. is stuck on his moral high-horse....

Quote:Jake says...
Well i'm surprised that people can trick themselves into saying pirating is ok... i'm also surprised it doesnt bother me when I do it sometimes

I couldn't have said it better, I too opose piracy in all forms and yet am guilty of it myself. Morally, the choice is up to each individual. Legally, stealing is stealing and stealing is wrong, but they have to catch you first

To resond to the OP, some companies do relax the license on old versions of some products and allow for free use, but this is far from universal. You would have to check each vendor and and each product individually to be sure. If Lightwave is currently on version 7, I very much doubt that version 6.5 is free. The times I've seen old versions for free it has been really old versions (two or three major version numbers behind the current version).

Well, personally if I created something, spent months working on it, I couldn't give a damn, I'd just be glad if people liked it enough to pirate it, I don't like money, but I would love to see people using what I made, especially if it was an online game, it'd mean more people to play against, yay! But I fully understand that alot of people wouldn't feel like that, and don't disagree with their reasoning. I'm perfectly happy to pay for games, they're alot cheaper and seem to have more of a soul to them, as opposed to say, codewarrior. Buying them also makes me feel I'm helping in a teeney way (under 0.01%) to allow people to make more and better games.

The thing is, is it really wrong to pirate something, that not only you cannot afford but cannot get an equivalent at a good price either? Am I actually, technically stealing if I'm not stealing a sale from say, metrowerks, because I couldn't buy it even if I chose not to pirate. Well, yes, it still is stealing, I'm taking something that's not mine, but I really don't see it as that bad.

Quote:Originally posted by M.J. As the vast majority of the members on this board are (aspiring) creators of software (be they programmers, artists, or composers), I would think that we would have little tolerance for pirates of any kind. How would you like it if you worked long and hard to create some piece of software and someone used a pirated version. If you had the opportunity to confront them and they said "I can't afford it, but I wanted it, so it's OK to steal it." Would you think it was OK?

To know that someone thinks MY program would be good enough to pirate.... hell, I'd be flattered.... but yeah... quick money lesson for people to understand piracy.

IF the person has money, it is cheaper to buy the product. Less hassle, less time, support of the author. They obviously have money because they spend their time working and such. If they are working, they don't have time to hassle with finding serial #s or cracks.
IF the person does not have the money, it is cheaper to pirate. Because their time is obviously not worth a lot of money, therefore they can spend that time with the hassle of pirating.

Quote:Originally posted by death_himself The thing is, is it really wrong to pirate something, that not only you cannot afford but cannot get an equivalent at a good price either?

Well, yes; you're still taking someone else's work without paying for it. If you want something and can't afford it, then get a job or save up money to buy it. If you don't want it enough to do that, then you'll just have to do without.